I generally have a lot to say, but this week has been different. Since last Friday’s horrific events, I have sat down to write something here a number of times, but I haven’t been able to string words together in any sort of meaningful way. I hope it goes without saying that my thoughts are with everyone touched by the tragedy in Newtown, though. I am so very sorry for your loss; I am also amazed and inspired by your strength and grace.

It’s never been more clear to me than now that when the world scares and saddens me, I retreat to my kitchen. It’s a place where things make sense. It’s where I feel happy and safe.

As you can probably imagine, and maybe like many of you, I’ve busied myself more than ever in the kitchen this week. I’ve made batch after batch of this toffee, as well as a slew of cookies. These were gifts for teachers and others who make a difference in my family’s world…they are small tokens, but they’re infused with love…love I hope the recipients will feel this year more than ever before.

As for this lentil soup (that I adapted from the wonderful Nourished Kitchen), I believe meals built around foods like this provide vital nutrition and much needed comfort during trying times. Many of us surely need that right now…

Recipe for Nourishing Lentil Soup

-Lentils do not need to be soaked before use, but doing so makes them more digestible and gives your body greater access to the nutrients they contain. It's best to soak them in water to which some acid (such as apple cider vinegar) has been added.

-When adding wine to recipes, make sure to use one that you enjoy! I chose a full-bodied red from a local vineyard...and had a glass (or was it two?) while I was cooking.

Directions:

1. Rinse and pick over the lentils in a colander over the sink. If soaking them, place them in a bowl and cover with water. Add apple cider vinegar, stir well, and allow the lentils to soak for 8-12 hours. Strain the lentils in a colander and rinse them thoroughly.

If not soaking the lentils, go right to step #2.

2. In a large pot, saute onions and garlic in olive oil (or oil with butter or bacon fat) over medium heat for a minute or two.

3. Add the chopped celery and carrots and cook, stirring them around, for a minute or two more.

4. Add lentils and stir all the ingredients around, then add the stock or water and the bay leaves.

5. Bring to a boil, skim any foam off the top of the soup, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes, or until lentils and vegetables are very tender. Add the wine and cook for 5 minutes more.

6. Remove from heat and stir in the greens. Allow about five minutes for them to wilt completely.

7. Ladle the soup into bowls, douse with some olive oil and vinegar, and sprinkle with black pepper (and coarse sea salt to taste) before serving. I eat soups like this with gluten-free crackers and generous amounts of good, strong cheese.

Adapted from Nourished Kitchen...head over to Jenny's great site to read all about the health benefits of lentils.

These posts from fellow bloggers made me cry and think a lot this week; I hope you can set aside some time to read them:

Antonio,
As I explained above, lentils don’t need to be soaked, but they do benefit from it. I recommend soaking them in order to benefit from all the nutrients they offer, and definitely if you find you have trouble digesting legumes. I don’t always soak them, though…sometimes I forget!

This is indeed a bowl of comfort, Winnie. I’ve kept myself very busy in the kitchen this week – it helped quiet my mind and was good to focus on something tangible. Thank you for sharing your words and these other posts, too.

Winnie, thank you for this delicious soup recipe. (I’m hungry for dinner right now and it looks so good & comfy, LOL!) By the way…wanted to tell you that your One Simple Change piece on dairy was excellent, well written and informative. I follow Paleo and enjoyed your insights on raw. Although I am non-dairy, I do eat fermented dairy. How wonderful that you are writing a book! I will definitely add it to my nutrition library. About wheat…have you ever baked with einkorn flour? I’m just about ready to get started and am learning more about it. However, I am pretty much grain free–that is, with the exception of tasting my traditional and gluten free baking with recipe development, LOL. Best wishes for a joyous and meaningful holiday season and New Year! xoxo (hugs & kisses for Leo, too!)

Hi Stacy,
I haven’t yet baked with Einkorn flour but I really want to! I can’t find it around here but I am going to order some from amazon really soon. I bet you our diets are fairly similar…I call my diet “paleo-esque” because I do eat just a bit of gluten and other grains :)

My family had turkey as part of our Christmas dinner, and I was debating with myself on whether to make stock from the carcass. Luckily I saw your recipe and it pushed me into action! Thank you for the reminder of how easy and resourceful it is to make homemade stock!

I was looking for a lentil soup recipe to try out and saw yours. It looks delicious. I was wondering have you ever tried freezing lentil soup? I like trying to make a little extra for leftovers, lunches, or a busy night and I am not sure how lentil soup would hold up in the freezer.

I really really relate to your saying…
“It’s never been more clear to me than now that when the world scares and saddens me, I retreat to my kitchen. It’s a place where things make sense. It’s where I feel happy and safe.”

It is hard to know what to do when things veer off course and tragedy strikes but making dinner and cooking seems to make things feel normal and somehow okay even though it all seems unbearable.

This soup looks SO delicious! I’m a big fan of lentil soup as my spanish grandma was a goddess in the kitchen and loved to make soups. But I’m always looking for new lentil soup recipes, now that I love to cook myself. So I will def give this a try very soon. Thanks!!

Welcome!

Hi there! I'm Winnie. I am a published author and I create and photograph the recipes here at Healthy Green Kitchen. I am also a nutrition and strength coach, as well as a competitive powerlifter. I live in NY's Hudson Valley with my husband, kids, cats, dogs, and chickens.